You might be bopping your head with the upbeat musical score that opens this college football based film, but by the time it's over, you'll have it embedded in your head and might be hearing it that night when you try to sleep. It is repeated dozens of times over in the film and as energetic as it is, it gets to be a bit monotonous. I wish I could say something enthusiastic about the movie that has a shell of a story surrounding college football players, their romances and the kidnapping of a key player before a key game.
Yes, there is an actual college football player named William Shakespeare, and yes he does actually get to quote the real Shakespeare, abliet briefly. But the story surrounds football hero Philip Houston and his girlfriend June Travis, dealing with the threat of kidnapping and other issues going on behind the scenes. There are some fun comical performances by James Gleason as the coach, Andy Devine as a see you later mom squeaky-voiced veteran player, and a hysterical scene with Billy Gilbert and Dick Elliott as two drunken former college players. Gilbert ads in his trademark sneezing into his drunk and act and that makes this seem doubly funny.
While there is a bit of intrigue concerning the kidnapping plot, the film is more a yearbook look back at an All-Star game and the heroes of the time, many of whom are forgotten and all of whom ironically are white. Sports history buffs will be the ones that this is intended for and who might actually recognize some of the names, but other than film fans who know practically every famous character actor, it is perhaps instantly dated because of its focus on college players, not the pros. as a history lesson however, it is interesting and I actually found some amusement and some of the non-football related scenes.
Yes, there is an actual college football player named William Shakespeare, and yes he does actually get to quote the real Shakespeare, abliet briefly. But the story surrounds football hero Philip Houston and his girlfriend June Travis, dealing with the threat of kidnapping and other issues going on behind the scenes. There are some fun comical performances by James Gleason as the coach, Andy Devine as a see you later mom squeaky-voiced veteran player, and a hysterical scene with Billy Gilbert and Dick Elliott as two drunken former college players. Gilbert ads in his trademark sneezing into his drunk and act and that makes this seem doubly funny.
While there is a bit of intrigue concerning the kidnapping plot, the film is more a yearbook look back at an All-Star game and the heroes of the time, many of whom are forgotten and all of whom ironically are white. Sports history buffs will be the ones that this is intended for and who might actually recognize some of the names, but other than film fans who know practically every famous character actor, it is perhaps instantly dated because of its focus on college players, not the pros. as a history lesson however, it is interesting and I actually found some amusement and some of the non-football related scenes.